Apparatus for coiling and bending helical springs.



-WITNES$E$ N. S. HARTEB.

APPARATUS FOR GOILING ANDBENDING HELIGAL SPRINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.80, 1911.

Patented Jan. 14,1913.

3 SHEETS4SHEET 1.

FIGJB ENVENT R Q Q may 2,1 MM (7 3 W/Q I N. S. HARTEB.

APPARATUS FOR GOILING AND BENDING HELIGAL SPRINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 191'1.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHBBT 2.

WITNESSES VENTOR MJTMI/ "zmd/lzm N. S. HARTER.

APPARATUS FOR 00mm AND BENDING HELIOAL SPRINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JANKSO, 1911.

Patented J an. 14, 1913.

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ivoslir s. HARTER, or WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQB To e AMERICAN STEEL & WIRE oo'MPANY on NEW JERSEY, or HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or new JEnsEY.

AFPARATUS FOR COILING AND 'ennhzne nnLroAL sriiiivos.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. Mi, 19139 Application filed January 36, 1911. Serial No. 305,573.

Be it known that LNoAn S. :HARTER, of

' i i 1. Waukegan. 1n the countv of Lake and stale of Illinois, have invented a new and useful T (ZZZ whom it may concern Apparatus for Coiling and Bending Helical Springs, of which the following is Illll,

coil or bundleof wire, means for varying the lengths of the springs, and having inipr'oved means for forming a bend on the forward end of the springs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring coiling mechanism having iiieahs for severing the coiled springs from the bundle or coil of wire, an d having means for forming a second bond on the severed or last formed end of the wound spring.

A further object of the inventi n is to provide spring forming appz'u'atus having novel means for actuating the cutting and bending mechanisms.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is plan. showing spring making apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudiiial elevation ofthe same. Fig. 3 is perspective view looking from the rear end of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional plan, on a larger scale, showing the winding and bending mechanisms forming part, of this invention. Fig. 6 is a detail end elevation of the shearing and coiling mechanisms shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isan enlarged detail side elevation showing the mechanism for operating the bending tool in forming the, bend upon the forward or first coiled end of the spring. Fig. 8 is a detail tionalzplan and Fig. 9 is an end elevation showing-a modified form of the mechanism for operating the'hendirrg tool, this figure crank pin showing the end of the coil of wire from which the springs are made having a bend as formed thereon with my improved apparatus at the beginning of the spring form ing operations. 10 is a sectional plan and Fig. ll is an end elevation showing the means employed in forming a bend on the opposite or rear end of the springs after severing the coiled or wound springs from the coil or bundle of wire forming the stock from which the springs are made.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the base or main frame of the apparatus supported upon legs or standards 3, 3, 4, 4, upon which the coiling, shearing and bending mechanisms are mounted. Secured, in bearingso on the frame 2 is a horizontally -eirtending main shaft 6 having on'one end a -which. the apparatus is. connected by a belt with a similar pulley on other prime mover (not posits end of the shaft 9 is provided with land wheel 13 which is used in adjusting the parts when operating the machine.

The spur gear 7 is provided on one side with a radially extending T-slot in which the "T-head of an adjustable crank pin 14 is adjustahly secured so as to he movable toward and away from the axial center of the wheel 7 to vary the throw of the connecting rod 15. one end of which is secured on the The connecting rod 15 is attached hy its other end to the crank pin 16 on the segmental gear 17 which is pivoted to the pin 18 on the lower end of the downwardly extending bracket 19 secured in place on. the under side of the supporting frame2. and which is arranged to be rocked forwardly and backwardly by the connecting rod 15 when the gear Wheel 7 is rotated. Thesegmental gear 17 meshes with the spur pinion 20 on the shaft 21 mounted in the bearings '22. This shaft in turn, through the spur gears 23, 24, 25, 26, and the gears 27 and 28, operates the hollow shaft 29 which is mounted in hearings 30 on the hose or frame 2 of the apparatus. The shaft 31 upon-which the gearZ'? is mounted, is also a driving shaft or shown). The opprovided with a gear 32 which, through the gears 34, is arranged to rotate the gear 35. This gear 35 is keyed or otherwise secured on the sleeve 36 which is rotatably mounted on the hollow shaft 29 for a purpose described later. The gears 33 and 34 are rotatably mountedupon supporting links 37, 38 and 39, and one of the ends of the links 37, 38, is connected by a clevis 40 to the connecting rod 4.1 which is arranged to hold the gears 33 and 34 in position and to rock or operate them at the desired time.

' Mounted in the opening in the hollowf 42 are rotated.

The annular sleeve 36 on the hollow shaft 29 is provided with a flange portion forming a bending head 45, and on this head is a pin or stud 46 which is arranged to catch the end of the wire at the desired time in the operation of forming the springs and form a bend thereon by bending the wire around the stud 44 on the head 43, this being clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9. The head 45 is provided with a recess into which the flange or winding head 43 extends when assembled in operative position. A disk 47 having a cam groove 47 is mounted on the driving shaft 6 so as to turn with it, and a rocker arm 43 is pivoted on the pih 49 which'is secured to the standard or bearing 50 on .the frame 20f the machine. The rocker arm 48 is provided with a pin 51 which is adjustable in the slot 48 on'the arm, this pin being connected to one end of and operating the connecting rod 41. Adjustment in the length of the connecting rod 41 is obtained by means of the sleeve nut 41'. On the lower end of the rocker arm 48 is an antifriction roller which operates in the cam groove 47 on the disk 47 'so as to cause a rocking movement of the arm 48 when the disk 47 is rotated and through the arm 41 to reciprocate the links 37 and the gears 33 and 34 and oscillate the links 38, 39, pivoted to the shaft 31 and sleeve 36.

.By referring to Figs. 2 and 7 it will be noted that a forward movement of the connecting rod 41 and the gears 33 and 34 Will' cause the "gear wheel. and the sleeve 36 to relate relative to the hollow shaft 29. The gear 3:) held inposition by the gear 34, whether running or not, and should the gears 33 and 34 be held in a definite position, the relative angular movement 0 the hollow shaft 29 and the sleeve 36 will be the 'same, but should the gears 33 and be reeiprocated from the position shown in Fig.

rock the bell crank 63.

7, the sleeve 36 will be rotated u on the hollow shaft 29, whether the sha t 29 is turning or not. When the sleeve 36 is rotated on the shaft 29 the stud 46 on the head 45 of the sleeve 36 will be moved relatively to the stud 44 on the head 45 of the hollow shaft 29'so as to bend the end of the wire from the straight position shown in full lines into that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6 and by full lines in Fig. 9. This relative movement of the sleeve 36 on the shaft 29 may take place eitherbefore or during the operation of coiling or winding of the spring. A horizontal shaft 54 is mounted in bearings on the'frame2 so as to extend at right angles to the horizontal driving shaft. 6, the shaft 54 having a spur gear 55 on one end in mesh with the spur gear 56 on the end of the short horizontal shaft 56 mounted in the bearing 57 on the rear end of the frame 2. A bevel gear 58 is provided on the other end of the shaft 56' which meshes with a similar gear 59 mounted on and rotated the shaft 6, through which the shaft 54 is driven.

On one end of the shaft 54 is a cam disk 60 having a cam recess 61 in which extends the anti-friction roller 62 which is on the end of one arm of the bell crank 63, the bell crank being pivoted by the pin 64 to the base or frame 2 of the spring forming apparatus. The other arm of the bell crank 63 is providedwith a slot 63 in which a pin 65 is adjustab secured. On the end of the pin mounted in the bearing 69 on the frame 2 of the machine. The opposite end of the shaft 68 is provided with a lever or arm 70 having a forked upper end and secured in the forked upper end of this lever a sleeve 71 which is mounted so to permit the arbor 42 to freely rotate therein. Secured to the arbor 42 on the opposite sides of the fork 71, are collars 72 which are rigidly mounted on and are arranged to rotate with the arbor 42, the forked arm 70 through the sleeve 71 and collars 7 2 reciprocating this arbor in the hollow shaft 29 when the cam 60 is rotated, so as to The distance the arbor 42 is reci rocated in the hollow shaft 20 is regulated by adjustment of the pin 65 in the slot 63 in one arm of the bell crank 63 and the arbor 42 is adapted to be retracted so that its forward end is entirely within the hollow shaft 29 at intervals in the operation of the mechanism.

Mounted in a support 73 are cutters 74 and 7 5 in which, as shown, the top cutter 75 is reciprocated vertically so that its forward being formed. A lever or arm 76 is secured by one end on the pin or shaft 77 which is plvotally secured to the support 73 on the main frame 2, and on the other end of the pin 77 is-anarm 78 havingone end'opera- -tively connected with the reciprocating shear knife 75 as is best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4e.

' connecting rod 79 and lever arms 76 and 7 8,

to reciprocate the vertically movable shear knife 75. A sleeve nut 79 is employed on the connecting rod 79 to adjust the length of the connecting rod.

I Movably mounted on the base or main frame2 is a horizontally reciprocating slide 85 which forms the feeding mechanism by which the wire is fed forwardly in making the springs. A longitudinal slot in the slide 85 is provided with inclined side surfaces 86 on one side thereof and mounted in these slots are small rollers 87 which are arranged to roll on the inclined surfaces 86, the diametrically opposite surfaces of these rollers contacting with thewire A. Secured to the rotatable disk 88 on the shaft 6 by the pin or bolt 89 is one end of a connecting rod 89 which is also connected to the upper end of the vertically extending lever 90 which is pivotally secured by the shaft 91 to the downwardly extending arm support 92 that is rigidly secured to the frame 2 as'is best shown in Fig. 2. The pin or bolt 89 is adjustcd in the slot 88 in the face of the disk 88 to vary the throw of the arm 90.. On the opposite end of the shaft 91 is a second lever 85, the upper end of which is connected to the reciprocating slide 85. It will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 that when the disk 88 is rotated the arm 90. will be rocked and the slide 85 will be recipirocated, and, on the forward movement ofthe slide 85, the rollers 87 will be moved by the inclined sides 86 of the'slot in the slide 85 so as to tightly grip and feed forwardly the wire A, and that when the slide 85 is retracted the rollers 87 by nioving-in the opposite direction, will become disengaged from and release the wire A'so as to not cause backward movement of the wire.

.M( nted in a suitable slot in the side of the f ame 2 is a slide bar 93 having on one end an anti-friction roller 94 which projects into and engages with the cam slot 95 in one face of the disk 88, the slot and until-friction roller being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. On the opposite end of the slide bar 93 is a rack 96, the teeth of which mesh with the spur gear 97 on one end of the vertical shaft 98 in the bearing 99 which is secured to one side of the frame 2. 0n the opposite end. of the shaft 98 is a second gear 100 which in turn meshes with the teeth of'the rackiltil.

which is mounted in the horizontally extending rack-support 102 and is arranged to he reciprocated by the gear 100. A pusher 103 is secured to the end of the rack 101 and is arranged to-engage with and push the for ward end of the wire A transversely into position relative to the arbor 4:2 and stnds le and to permitof the bend being formed in the end of the wire when the studs 1 a6 are rotated with respect to each. other,,at

and 11, by continuing the forward movement of the knife 75, the bending portion 10% of the knife 75 will engage with the last out or rear end of the formed spring then on the arbor 42 and bend it over the end of the support 105, asis shown in Fig. 11. The spring, which by this action of the bending portion 104 of the knife is completed, is then in readiness to be removed from the arbor 42.

In the modified form of mechanism shown in Figs. 8 and 9 for actuating the bending tool or head, the connecting rod 4-1 is secured to one arm 111 of'the bell crank 111 which is pivoted on the pin 112to the" frame 2 of the machine. bell-crank 111 is forked and is operatively secured to the sleeve 108 so as to reciprocate this sleeve. The sleeve 108 is'connected by a spline or feather keywith the sleeve 110-, so as to rotate the sleeve 110 and its pin 46 angularly, with relation to the windinghead 4:3 and the pin' ll thereon which, in this con-. strnction, forms part of thehollow shaft 106.

In the operation of my improved appara- .t-us,each complete revolution of the driving shaft 6 makes a completecycle of movements disk 88. The greater, the distance this pin is placed from the axis of the shaft 6 on which the dish is-inounted, the greater the amount of wire fed forwardly. As soon as the wire is advanced to the proper position, the cam The other arm 111 of the will operate the pusher 103 to move the wire transversely into position in under the stud 44, as is shown by Fig. 0. The wire A being fed forwardly in a plane outside of the end of the studsd l and 40 by the slide 85 will clear and not become fouled by these studs during backward movement of the head 13.

The connecting rod 15 when it crosses the.

vertical center of the shaft 0, starts the rotating movement o'fthe hollow shaft 29 and the stud 44 which movement will cause the wire to wind around the arbor 42. The number of turns wound on the arbor 12 is varied by adjusting the crank pin 14 on the spur gear 7 so as to increase or decrease the length of stroke or angle of rotation of the segmental gear 17. As soon as the winding operation is started, the pusher will be retracted so as to give clearance for the rotating end of the wire A. The winding operation is then cont nued until the shaft 6 has b'een'rotated through a half revolution and, either during the winding of the wire to form the spring or just prior to the time the winding operation is started, the cam 47 will actuate the connecting rod 41 and rock the arm 38. When the arm 38 is rocked by the rod 41 the gear 38 will rotate the gears 343 35, and by the rotation of the gear 'wi-lchange the relative angular position of the hollow shaft 29 with respect to the sleeve 36 so as to cause the stud 4-13 to catch the end of the wire and produce bend in the end of the wire around the stud 44, as is illustrated in Fig. 6. Each wrap or coil of the wire on the mandrel forms a guide or the next forn'ied coil or wrap during the wire coiling or winding operations. Should the doiling mechanism shown in Figs. and 9 be employed instead oi? that mu in Figs. 10 and 11, the o il'aration as :wve described will be the sane i in PM vase the lnlica ly lhrea l'. u ii r. of the shaft 107 and the internally lh/ruded sleeve 108, which is spliuod llj, the thers 109 to the sleeve 1'10. taking the place oi, the spur gears 35, 3 1, 32, 33, shown in'higs. 1 to 3. As shown in F 8 and 9., the sleeve 108 is connected to the forked arm 111" of the bell crank 11.1 which is pivoted at 1l2,'

on the frame 2 of the machine, the opposite arm. 11.1 being operatively connected to the. end of the rod 41 through which the ceiling mechanisms of both constructions are actuated. The amount of bond produced on this forward end of the springs may be varied by adjusting the pivot pin 51 in the slot 48 in the arm 48. After the winding (aim-alien has continued during the time the shaft (3 is rotating a half i'evolutiointhe rotalive movement of the hollow shaft 29 will stop, pro-- paratory to beginning the backward or re verse movement of the shaft 29, and during this time the cutter will he reciprocatcd so asto sever the wire forming the wound spring from the coil or bundle, and, when the bending member 101 is employed, produce a second bend on the other end of the spring, as is shown in big. 10; The amount of bend and the position of the bend on the rear end of the formed springs may be varied according to the shape and position of the tools employed. The movements above described completing the winding, cutting and bending operation, the shaft 29 commences to rotate in the opposite direction, and at the instant the segmental gear 17 be gins its backward movement. \Vhen the backward movement begins, the cam 60 will operate through the connecting mechanism to reciprocate the arbor within the hollow shaft 29 and withdraw the forward end of this arbor within the hollow shaft, in this way stripping the arbor from the spring just formed, so as to permit of the spring falling through the opening provided in the base .2 for that purpose. The arbor will then be moved back so as to again project through the end of the hollow shaft. in posi tion for the. next winding operation, and while the hollow shaft 29 is being rotated in the reverse direction to that used for Wind ing. At the. same time the rod 41 will move hackwardly so as to rock the gears and 34 and move the gear 35 so as to cause the pin or stud all; to again assume its position relative to the pin 44 and mandrel 42 shown in Fig. 6. The wire A will then be again moved forwardly into position by the slide i3, as has been before described and the above described operations will then again be repeated in forming another spring.

The advantages of my invention will. be apparent to'those skilled in the art. The apparatus is simple and is easily kept in repair. By its use a bundle or coil of wire is mechanically formed into a plurality of separate springs. The formed springs are are n-ov.ided with a bend of the desired i-ihape and in the required relative angular p., 'tiou.

lrhalifications in the construction and arrangz'ement of the parts may be made without departing from my invention as described in the specification and defined in the appended claims.

1 claim l. in apparatus for coiling and bending l 'n s, a hollow coiling head having an outwardly projccling'piu in one face thereof, a hollow bending head on the periphery of said coiling head having an outwardly projcciing pin on one taco thereof. means for rotating said heads in unison. and mechanistu for relatively .uoviug said heads.

1n apparatus for coiling and bending wire spring a mumlrel, a hollow spindle having awinding head in which the mandrel a bend on the end of the wire stock, means is'inounted to move longitudinally, means ,"stock, a hollow shaft in which the spindle is wire springs, a mandrel, a. hollow spindle having a winding head n which the manon the head for engaging with the wire movably mounted having a bending head thereon, means on said bending head en-' gaging with the wire stock, means for severing the formed spring from the wire stock, and mechanism constructed and arranged to operate the heads consecutively to bend the end of the wire, wind the wire around the mandrel toform a spring and sever the coiled spring from the Wire stock.

3. In apparatus for coiling and bending drel is mounted to move longitudinally, means on the head for engaging with the wire stock, a hollow shaft in which the spin- .dle is inovably mounted having a bending head thereon, means on said bending head engaging with the spring Wire, means for severing the formed springs from the Wire stock and forming a bend on the severed end of the spring, and mechanism constructed and arranged to operate the heads consecutively to bend the end of the wire, wind the wire around the mandrel to form a spring, sever the coiled spring from the Wire stock and form a bend on the other end of the wire forming the spring.

i. In apparatus "for forming wire springs, the combination of means for forming a bend on the end'of the wire stock, adjustable means for coiling the end of the wire stock into a spring, means for severing the coiled spring from the wire stock, mechanism for actuating saidseveral means consecutively in the order named, and means for varying the rotative movement. of the coiling means.

In apparatus for forming wire springs, the combination of mechanism for forming for feeding forwardly the wire stock into position for forming'said bend, mechanism for coiling the end of the wire stock into a spring, means for severing thecoiled spring from the wire stock, means for forming a bend on the severed end of the spring, mechanism for actuating said several means and mechanisms consecutively, arid means for adjusting the length of movement of v mg head arranged to bend the wire around said mandrel, a rotatable bending head, and means for actuating said heads in unison, means arranged to cause a relative movementof the bending and coiling heads to form a bend on theend of the wire, and means for varying the rotative movement of the coiling head to change the length ol the springs.

7. Apparatus for forming wire into springs, having a mandrel, a hollow rotatable coiling head, a rotatable bending head mounted in said coilinghead, means for actuating said heads, said means being constructed and arranged to cause a relative movement of the bending and coiling heads to form a bend on the end of the wire, and means for severing the coiled springs from the wire stock.

. 8. Apparatus for forming wire into springs having a reciprocating mandrel, a

rotatable coiling head, a rotatable bending head, means for actuating saidheads, and means for moving the reciprocating mandrel to strip the completed springs therefrom.

9. Apparatus for forming Wire into springs having a reciprocating mandrel, a rotatable hollow coiling head in which said mandrel is mounted, a rotatable bending head, means for actuating said heads, said means being constructed and arranged to cause a relative movement of the bending and coiling heads to form a bend on the end of the wire, means for severing the coiled springs from the wire stock, and means for moving the reciprocating mandrel to strip the formed springs therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

NOALH s. HARTER.

l'Vitnesses: C. S. CAWTHORNE, J. T. WADSWORTH. 

